Means for controlling the activity of work-performing circuits



| F. W. WOOD ET AL MEANS FOR CONTROLLING THE ACTIVITY OF WORK PERFORMINGCIRCUITS Filed March 15 1919 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Patented Oct. 28, 1924.

UNITED STATES 1,512,969 PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK W. WOOD, or MONTGLAIIR, AND PAUL GRIEBSON, OF SOUTH onANG E, NEW

JERSEY.

MEANS For. CONTROLLING THE ACTIVITY or woRir-rER-ronmNG Graeme.

App'liation fil ed March 15, 1919.

To all whom "it may concem:

Be-it known that FRANK V. V000 and PAUL GRIERSON,..CltlZ8HS of theUnited States, residing at Montclair and South Orange, in the county ofEssex and State of New Jersey, have invented new and useful Improvementsin Means for Controlling the Activity of WOIlf-PBI'fOIHliDg Circuits, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to means for controlling the activity ofwork-performing circuits, referring more particularly to theo'pening andclosing of such circuits in a uniform succession of intervals.

The invention is adapted for use in various connections where it isdesirable that workbe performed at definite intervals of time, by theactivity of the circuits either in performing the work or providing asignal or indication. For instance, one use is in connection with thefiring of boilers, where it is desirable that a boiler or a series ofboilers be fired at regular periods. Another use may be in connectionwith the f 1 I V s v operation of a mine-laying vessel, where it isdesired to lay a succession of mines at regular'distances apart on agiven course and while the vessel is traveling at a constant speed; Andwhile the present invention as disclosed, is designed to produce theresults by giving a signal or indication at the particular period, itwill be understood, of course, that this is not to be considered as alimitation of the invention for the reason that the apparatus may beconnected up to provide work-performing apparatus of an automatic:nature so that the apparatus may be employed as a means for startingcycles of operation of such automatic apparatus.

The ability to provide for this more or less universal adoption is dueto the fact that the time control is made operative through one or morecircuit make and break devices, which devices are active on one or morework-performingcircuits, and the particu lar type of work which suchcircuits provide becomes a matter of particular installation.

The general objects of the present invention are to provide an apparatusby means of which the make and break action on the circuits can berovided in a simple and-efib cient manner, n which the length oftimeintervals may be varied as desired with the practical assurance thatsuccessive inter Serial No. 282,901.

vali's will be of similar-length, and to. provide an apparatus which issimple and efficient in operation,

durable in construction, and which can be manufactured and installed ata relatively low cost. 7 v v To these and other ends, the nature ofwhich will be readily understood as the invention is hereinafterdisclosed, said invention consists in the improved construction andcombination of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, and more particularlypointed out in the appendedclaims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which similar reference charactersindicate similar parts in each of the views,

Fig. 1 is a face view of an apparatus, adapted to carry out the generalprinciples of the invention, portions being broken away and others shownin section for the purpose of clearncss.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the same taken on line 2'2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional View of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4t is a diagrammatic view of the apparatus and of wiringconnections adapted to operate signals or indications.

Before giving a detailed description of the parts of the apparatus, abrief statement is made of the general principles underlying theinvention.

The circuit make and break devices are of the rotating type, in thateach device carries one or more elements adapted to provide a temporarycontact with a fixed contact or brush in the completion of the circuit,the time interval between successive contacts being provided bycontrolling the speed of rotation of a shaft on which the rotatableelements are mounted. This control in speed of the shaft is had throughcontrol of the speed of an electric motor which is operatively connectedto the shaft through speed reducing connect-ions, thus permitting theuse of a motor running at high speed with a shaft, which, itself, isdesigned to rotate at slow or very slow speed.

As will be understood the regularity of the make and break operations isdependentupon the regularity of speed of rotation of the motor, and toprovide this result, the motor regulation is designed to the voltage ofthe armature system, the voltage of the field magnet system remainingcon stant. .By varying the voltage of theatres.

' crating under the general principles of a potentiometer, thismechanism being connected up in series with the coils of the armature,so that in providing the movements of the movable element of thepotentiometerwith the latter having definite positions of activity-it ispossible, by the adjustment "of an indicator of the potentiometerrelative to a calibrated scale, to pro duce a desired speed by thesimple adjustment of this movable part of the potent-iometer. Y e

The number of circuits which may thus be controlled is more or lessimmaterial, it being understood that with an individual make and breakrotating element for each circuit, any desired number of circuits can becontrolled in this manner. In the present structure, two of suchcircuits are utilized, each having its individual rotatable make andbreak member mounted on the shaft, and the circuits are arranged in suchmanner that they can be operated concurrently, or either can be used asthe work-performing circuit by opening the other circuit, and theinterval-regulation of the activecircuit can be varied by placing theresults of the opera tionsof both make and break elements on to thesingle circuit, this being one of the developments which form part ofthe present invention.

Referring to the drawings, 10 designates a suitable casing for theapparatus, the casing carrying a base or panel 11 on which the parts aremounted.

l2indicates a shaft on which are mounted one or more elements 13, theseelements being shown as in the form of a hub carrying outwardlyprojecting members 13 spaced apart at regular distances and giv ing theappearance of a toothed structure to the-element. The number of elements13 employed will depend upon the number of circuits tobe controlled.

' Eachelement forms the rotatable member of a make and break device forits circuit, the element cooperating with a contact or brush 14shown asin the form of a spring projecting into the path of travel of members13and secured to the base. The members 13 are spaced in such manner thateach member provide'siindividual closing of the circuit when in contactwith the spring 14, the member, in passing out'of contact with thespring, breaking the circuit which is then again completed when thesucceeding member'13 passes into such contact.

One terminal of the circuit at the make and break device is provided byspring 14, the complemental terminal of the circuit being provided by aspring or brush 15 cooperating with a disk 16 also mountedon shaft 12,disk- 16 and elements 13 being electrically connected in suitable mannerso that whenever the contact is had between a member 13 and itscomplemental spring or brush 14, the individual circuit will becompleted.

In the embodiment illustrated, two circuits are controlled, and thearrangement is designed to provide alternate activity of the circuits.'To' provide this result, the two elements 13 are so positioned on shaft12 that a member 13 of one element is angularly displaced with respectto a similar member of the other element, the displacement in theparticular instance shown being equal to half the distance betweenadjacent members of the other element. f

Shaft 12 is driven by a motor 17 mounted on base 11, shaft 12 rotatingat a greatly ,decreased speed compared to that of the motor shaft byreason of the presence of a speed-reduction structure interposed betweenthe shafts, this structure being'of any preferred type, that shown inthe drawings being of simple formation,shaft 17 a of the motor carryinga worm 18 operatively en gaged' With a worm gear 19 mounted on a shaft20extending transversely of shaft 17, shaft 20 in turn carrying a worm21 engag= ing a' worm gear 22 mounted on shaft 12, shafts 12 and 17"'extending in substantial parallelism. As shown, this speed-reductionstructure is preferably mounted in a case 23 and provides a definitespeed relation between shafts 17 and 12. Hence by controlling the speedof rotation of shaft 17 it is possible to vary the length of interval oftime existing between the break of the circuit by one member 13 and thesucceed-- ing completion of, the circuit by the next member passing intocontact with its brush.

As heretofore pointed out, this control of the speed of the motor isprovided by control of the voltage of the armature coils, the generalwiring arrangement for producing this effect being shown in Fig.4 inwhich a represents the armature system and b the field'magnet system ofthe motor, the general supply circuit being'indicated by contacts c and0 of a switch d.

As will be seen by reference to Fig. 4, the field magnet coils b areconnected directly to the supply circuit when switchd is closed, thecircuit being completed as follows: Contact 0, lead coils 6, lead 100",lead 100 to contact 0, thus giving the field magnet coils a constantvoltage c-ondi lLlOIl.

The armature coils, however, are connected to the supply circuit inseries with a mechanism of the potentiometer type, this latter mechanismbeing designated at 9A in Figs. 1 and 2 and shown diagrammatically inFig. 4, the slide wire being shown as a resistance coil 6 provided withtaps c at regular distances in the length of the coil, these taps beingadapted to cooperate with a movable element 6 0 indicates a fixedresistance coil employed in connection ith potentiometer structures. Aswill be readily understood, mechanism 24 has the parallel circ ideaemployed in potentiometers, one circuit running from contact 0 throughlead 100'; lead 101 to coil 6 to coil 6 and lead 100 to contact 0, theother branch leadingfrom contact 0 through leads 100 and 101 to coil 6and then to that tap 6 with which element 6 is in contact, the line thenrunning through lead 101 to and through the armature system a to lead100 and thence to con-tact 0 as before.

o By locating mechanism 2 1 as a part of the armature system supplycircuit, it will be readily understood that the voltage of thearmature'will, vary with the shift in position of member 0 this shiftmovement of he: element varying the difference in potential which existsbetween lead 101 and lead 101 according to the value of the particularportion of coil 6 that is located between lead 101 and the tap c withwhich element 6 is in contact. For instance, with element 6 in contactwith thec'onnection between lead 101 and the coil, the entire coil willbe practically shunted from the armature circuitso that the latter willcarry the full voltage; I If ele-niente is shifted to the succeedingtap, the valtie of the interposed portion of the coil in producing adifference of potential will decrease the voltage of lead 101 to adefinite extent, and this decrease will be increased as element 6 isshifted successively over the various taps.

Hence with mechanism 2% formed with its coil '6 and taps 6 arranged toprovide for a definite stage variation, the voltage of the armaturecircuit can be definitely controlled and through the resultant speedvariations of the motor, this variation can be translated into a timemeasurement through the operation of the make and break structures asdescribed.

In Fig; 1, mechanism 24 is shown as provided with a calibrated scale 2%with which a pointer 24* forming a part of the element structure ccooperates in bringing said element 6 on to the proper tap e.

The two work-performing circuits are shown for illustrative purposes, asfollows: Contact 0, lead 100, lead 102, brush 15, disk 16, and then inparallel, one branch extending through lead 103, switch 7, lead 103 lampm, lead 103*, switch f, lead 103 to contact 0, the other branchextending through lead 104, to switch 9, lead 10 1 lamp 'n, switch 10 1switch glead 104, to lead 103 and contact 0. Lamps m and a. may beconsidered as work-performing structures, and as will be observed, otherwort-performing structures can be added by locating their. in circuitsextending in parallelism with circuits 103 103 and 10%, 101*, Fig. iindi cating such additional circuits as carrying respectively lamps mand n, and bells m and 71- it being understood that the signals orindicators m and m operate concurrently as do the signals a and 02. aslong as switches f and g are thrown to place these groups in thecircuit. The particular arrangement indicated in the embodiment shown issuch that when each switch is thrown outward, both work-performingcircuits will be completed for operation; obviously, opening of eithercircuit by its switch open that circuit without aifecting the other.

lVith both circuits completed in the manner described, it will bereadily seen that the two circuits will be rendered active alternatelyby reason of the angular displacement conditions of the members onelements 13, and that the length of the interval in time will becontrolled by the speed of motor 17. Hence each circuit will have itsindividual time intervals, while the operation of both circuitsconcurrently will provide for successive signals or indications at timeintervals having half the length of those of each of the circuits, theparticular arrangement shown being such as to give these indications orsignals at spaced apart points, as for instance different points of avessel where the mines are being laid.

This composite effect of decreasing the length of intervalor doublingthe number of indications or signalsmay be applied to either circuitindividually by throwing the switch of the opposite circuit, to itsopposite contacts, these contacts of the switches f and 9' beingarranged to superpose the action of a make and break device of onecircuit on to the other circuit. F or instance, if switch 7' be throwntoward the right in Fig. 4- thus breaking the work-performing circuit103 and 103 lead 103 is connected up with a lead 105 which extends tolead 10%, return lead 105 extending to the switch 7 from lead 104 sothat the action of the make and break device of lead 103 is superposedupon the work-performing circuit represented by signal a, so that thissignal will not only receive the effects of the make and break.

action of lead 104 but also the make and break action of lead 103, thusdecreasing the length of intervals between successive workperformance ofthe signal to substantially half of its normal operation. For purposesof convenience, it will be noted that when switch f is so shifted, thisswitch and switch 9 will extend in the same general direction incompleting the circuits, whereas for concurrent operation of thecircuits, these switches will extend in opposite directions.

To superpose the effects of the circuit extending through lead 104 on tosignals m, leads 106 and 106' extend from switch 9 to the proper pointsin connection with the circuit of signals m; throwing the switch 9toward the left in Fig. 4: with switch f also in the samedirection-cutting out signal at and superposing the action of thecircuit of lead 104; on to signal m.

By this general arrangement it will be readily understood that withswitch (Z closed the field magnet and armature circuits will becompleted, thuscausing motor operation .and providing rotation toshaft12. The speed of the motor will be dependent upon the position ofelement 6 For instance, assuming that with the pointer of mechanism 24on the mark indicated as 3, and that .this mark represents time intervalin minutes, then the speed of the motor will be such -as to cause theelements 13 to operate to produce signals three minutes apart, eachcircuit being made active at intervals of six minutes. If the pointerbeshifted for instance to the position 5, the speed of motor .will bechanged so as toincrease the length vof the time interval, it beingunderstood that .the speed of shaft 12 relative to that of the motorshaft will be so arranged as to provide for a general proportionalvalue, as

for instance seconds, minutes or other periods, through the speedreduction arrangement, this being more or less mechanical in character.The Variations in these units of time are provided by the adjustment ofmechanism 24 which controls the speed of rotation of the motor.

As will be understood this general arrangement provides a simple andefiicient structure for the purpose, it being possible to maintain motorspeeds substantially uniform when the proper speed is obtained, so thatthe translation of the motor speed into time interval operation can bereadily accomplished through simple mechanical structures which requireno delicacy of adjustment; and

since mechanism 24 is of simple and rugged type, it will be understoodthat an apparatus of this type is capable of use under severe serviceconditions without liability of serious breakdown or uncertainty intiming action.

As will be clear the number of elements 13 may be increased if desiredto accommodate additional work-performing circuits; and since theseelements are mounted on-a shaft capable of removal without materialdisturbance of the apparatus, it will be readily understood that theelements 13 may thus provide variations in unit of measurement throughvarying the number of members 13 of an element, this being made possibleby simply substituting one element for another when the shaft isremoved, thus making it possible to change from one unit of measurementof time to another, without affecting the general scheme of speedreduction. 7

While we have herein shown and described a preferred embodiment of theinvention, it will be readily understood that changes and modificationstherein may be found desirable or necessary in meeting the variousexigencies of use to which an apparatus of this type can be put, and wedesire to be understood as reserving the; right to make any and all suchchanges and modifications as may be found desirable or essential in sofar as the same may fall within the spirit and scope of the invention asexpressed in the accompanying claims when broadly construed. V

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new, is

1. In apparatus for controlling the activity of electrical circuits, apair of separate electrical circuits, separate means for making andbreaking each circuit in a fixed cycle, means for driving said makingand breaking means at a constant speed, and means for placing bothmaking and breaking means in a single circuit so that the cycles ofoperation will be superposed in said circuit. a

2. In apparatus for controlling the activity of electrical circuits, ashaft, means for driving said shaft at constant speed, a plurality ofelectric circuits, separate means including elements mounted on saidshaft and operated by the rotation thereof to make and break eachcircuit, and means for switching one of said make and break means intothe circuit controlled by the other make and break means, to superposethe action of both of said last mentioned means on one circuit.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto

